Sunday, December 9, 2012
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Okay...I'm Moving AGAIN!
I've taken these last few months off and it has given me time to consider my blog.
I had almost decided to quit- I felt detached from the whole blogging world.
But I also had time to realize that putting words together is just a part of me- its something I do better than singing or cooking or cleaning...
But the whole Blogarita concept gave the impression of a young, beachy, adventurous
And I'm not any of that.
Not really.
(Plus- I found out there are other bloggers already using that title.
And here I thought I was being brilliant and original!)
So, I put together a new blog.
New title.
New header.
And it reflects a little more where I'm truly coming from.
Hope you'll like it.
And I hope you'll join me as I start the new year out with
Just The Way It Is .
Until then, may your Christmas bring great happiness,
small miracles,
good food
and loving friends.
And may the new year bring renewed promise...
See you January 2, 2012!!
LINK TO: http://justtheway-rae.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 10, 2011
A Cold Shadow
There are lacy patterns of ice on the pond this morning,
floating like crystal doilies in a sea of calm gray.
The sky is a bleached blue, patched with wisps of winter clouds,
and naked branches reach up from the horizon to search for sun.
Where did the summer go?
How was it washed away like a watercolor dream?
What happened to the sweet perfumes, the intoxicating heat,
the euphoria that permeated the landscape?
I stand inside- looking out-
not even wanting to become familiar with this new world-
dismissing any intentions of being friendly.
I lock my door.
Turn up the heat.
Feel pity for everything that has died away with a flood of frost.
Suddenly, sunshine tickles the icy cattails,
makes beams of yellow amid the pine trees,
and pours it's golden treasure upon the surface of the pond.
The ice melts, its delicate netting breaks without a sound.
It dissolves like sugar flowers in the oyster-colored pond water.
A cardinal lands on the fence post like a fat, red kite.
And I celebrate its beauty.
I do not embrace winter,
but I will tolerate it.
And hold fast to dreams of summer-
forever plump with promises...
Monday, December 5, 2011
A December Day
The rain continues.
I'm thankful I can be inside today... Warm in fleece sleep pants
and sweater-slippers...
Pumped full of peppermint coffee, lingering snacks, and Christmas lists.
But, yet, there is part of me that feels lost.
Detached.
Outside looking in...
I feel like this year is a big snowball that's rolling down the hill
toward an incinerator.
It's going to be gone soon.
Can I possibly slow it down?
Catch it?
Pull out all the good things and memories before it dissolves right before my eyes?
Can I?
I have missed my daily ponderings. I've found that I have less concentration. And my speech skills grow awkward when I go too long without writing. I suppose I need to exercise my brain...air those dreams...open my stuffy old heart and fly more often.
I've spent hours upon hours trying to design a better looking blog. I'm still not comfortable with this, but until I find better, this will do. I think it's more of a "foodie" design- with the spoon and fork....but I'm thinking for me it just signifies that I'm tasting life...trying to savor it...it's delicate moments...sweet...pink...laced with warmth...decorated with experiences and trials...
And hopefully in the new year- clean...new...bright...and soothing.
I'm not making plans or promises or "blog blueprints".
I'm just going to try to come here everyday and write what my voice feels-
but doesn't say aloud...
what my heart knows and needs to share...
what my days take from me, give to me, share with me.
The rain continues.
I sip my coffee,
stretch my legs,
and wander to the window to watch...
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Making a Comeback Jan. 2nd, 2012
Hi, dear friends! Sorry I've been away so long...I just got sidetracked somewhere along the way and never found my way back.
But I'm tuning in my "GPS" and hoping to get back to Blogarita in January.
To me, the whole blogging process had lost it's thrill- and inspiration was few and far between.
On the other hand, I truly miss writing ...and also reading my favorite blogs. I've got to devote myself to it again to stay sane!
Here's wishing you a joyous holiday season ahead of time!
And I sure hope you'll join me when I return the first of the year...
But I'm tuning in my "GPS" and hoping to get back to Blogarita in January.
To me, the whole blogging process had lost it's thrill- and inspiration was few and far between.
On the other hand, I truly miss writing ...and also reading my favorite blogs. I've got to devote myself to it again to stay sane!
Here's wishing you a joyous holiday season ahead of time!
And I sure hope you'll join me when I return the first of the year...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tuesday Procrastination
I'd like to say that I'm writing this post today to share wonderful, humorous stories, awesome photos, delicious recipes and must-need info.
But I'm not.
I am actually writing this morning to stall for time. I'm putting off my mundane chores just a little longer. I keep telling myself I'll get started at 7:00. Then 8. Now I've convinced myself it will be warmer and more sunny at 9.
I spent Saturday afternoon priming some peeling woodwork around some exterior doorways. Today they need a fresh coat of paint. So does my back door, the inside trim... and my entire kitchen needs painted (which is NOT on my To Do List today).
It's kinda cloudy today. Gloomy. The kind of day that begs for an old movie, a bowl of chili and a comfy blanket. It's the kind of day that is great for staring out the window at the falling leaves, reading a new magazine, sipping hot coffee and wearing fun slippers.
It's the perfect kind of do-nothing you don't really have to do day.
But I have to.
Because I can't even think about getting ready for my Halloween party until this necessary stuff is done. That's always been an unsaid rule here.
"You want a party? Well, when everything else is done you can start getting cutesie with the decorations and details."
I really want this painting over with, too. I know I procrastinate too often. Snow will be flying if I keep going at this pace. It has to be done today! (At least get started by 10)...
The boys (son and son-in-law) helped me get my Halloween stuff down from the garage attic Sunday afternoon. Eleven trash bags and two Rubbermaid totes! Do you realize how much work it is to get these jumbled bags of tombstones, body parts, lights and pumpkins into some sort of proper party hosting shape?
And, I'm going to be very honest here....You know what makes me mad?
The people who have been invited to my COSTUME party that tell me they might come- but not dress up.
First of all, I tried to make it easy this year. It's a Vampire's Ball. Everyone must be a vampire. Easy stuff. Black pants, black shirt (or hoodie, even!), a little makeup to the face and - Presto-Change-o, you're a vampire!
Maybe I'm being petty, but if I'm going to all this trouble to have a big party, I think my guests should go to a little trouble to create a costume.
Or stay home.
Okay- on to other things...My loving husband turned 60 Sunday. We were married when he was 24. We've seen a lot of years together and hope to see many more. I love that guy!
I just wish he could retire today. I'm ready to move to the cabin (even as little as it is) and spend our days doing what we want to do. Seriously. I would sell everything I have right now if we could go there and stay...
But trim needs painting. Garden needs picked. Laundry needs folding. Supper needs planned.
Coffee break is over.
See ya all soon.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Frog Leg Friday At The Fish House Cafe
Every once in awhile, I get a wild urge to try and write a short story. And they usually end up being short. Like: 2 pages short. I never seem to finish them. I run out of steam and give up.
But I always have fun finding one that I started and put away somewhere.
And since I can't think of a blog topic today, I'm going to bore you with the beginning of a short story that I found stashed away in a mini-notebook. I stuffed it into a box of bills. Maybe it should have stayed there.
What do you think? Should I try to finish it?
*****
Josie applied the Pucker Pink nail polish with extra care that morning and added an extra boost to her red teased hair. And the "piece de resistance"- her leopard jumpsuit.
It wasn't every day that her quaint little motel would have no vacancy. All the folks coming into town for the unveiling of the new casino had her booked solid for the next three months.
Perhaps all her hard work had finally paid off. At least the few extra dollars had earned her the sexy black stilettos and the expensive "balconette" bra that she kept pushing up and adjusting.
Besides that, she looked marvelous. Although she still retained a bulge of stubborn love handles, her body had slimmed down nicely due to cases of Slim Fast and some little yellow pill a patron had recommended.
Josie felt sleek and beautiful. And she knew her customers would appreciate her fine sense of style. Was it such a bad thing that she flashed a little extra cleavage at the menfolk?
Of course, she wouldn't ever let it go further than a friendly tease- after all, she was a married woman. She and Stan had been married for thirty two years. And they had taken turns running the Two Rivers Motel for nearly as long. She worked day shift. Stan worked nights. They rarely saw one another except to arrange schedules and to balance the books. They had not shared a bed in over twenty years. Even at Christmas and New Years, the motel had to be open and running. They couldn't afford to close down for any type of holiday or refuse their best customers.
The motel was Josie's life. And one she knew she could never escape from.
However, now that the little town of Rebel was beginning to boom, Josie was excited about the prospects. She imagined new flowers in the window boxes, flat screen TV's in every room, and the stained shag carpeting replaced with a nice neutral Berber.
That morning, Josie stirred a bit of vodka into her coffee and took a long swallow. The sun was just coming up and she had awhile before last nights guests began to rouse and leave for breakfast.
The Fish House Cafe' was just a block away and known for their cheap, but appetizing breakfast buffet. Josie loved their evening salad bar and usually had Stan deliver her takeout before they changed shifts. And their All-You-Can-Eat weekend seafood specials were absolutely delicious!
Even though Patty Tyler's place was a bit run down, Josie knew that the casino would change all that. The vinyl chairs with their duct tape patches and the ceiling tiles with water spots would soon be a thing of the past. And once all the new business came pouring in, Josie hoped Patty would replace the plastic flowers with more sophisticated centerpieces.
Patty and Josie were completely opposite, but still good friends. Patty stopped by the motel a few days a week to share a drink- almost always some fruity, alcoholic mixture, complete with umbrellas and miniature swords for their cherries.
Josie always did everything with flourish.
Patty was not quite as flamboyant, shying away from any sort of animal print, tall heels, boob-age or flirtation. She had sensible style- preferring jeans, tee shirts and tennis shoes while working- as well as when entertaining friends. Comfort was a priority- besides, her customers came in the Fish House Cafe' for good food- and nothing else. So far she had managed to make a profit and secretly hoped that her clientele would prefer home cooked meals over the ones being served at the casino.
Patty had never been married. In fact, her short hair and somewhat masculine manner always had customers questioning her choice of lifestyle. But those suspicions could never be further from the truth. She had just never found that special man. And at age forty, she had just about given up.
"Someday he'll walk right in that front door," she had told Josie. "He'll order a full stack of pancakes, black coffee, and leave a five dollar tip. Then he will come back and court me every day for six months. We'll get hitched at the Raccoon Creek Chapel, raise alpacas, and sell the cafe."
They both laughed.
But Patty had left Josie thinking about her own marriage. How weak and pitiful and unfulfilled it was! She wished to Heaven that life could be as simple as Patty hoped.
She began to cry into her vodka-spiked coffee, as blobs of dime store mascara painted black lines down her face. How could she be so happy and so sad at the same time?
A red diesel truck disturbed Josie's pity party and she quickly readjusted her makeup, her jumpsuit and her smile- just as the jingle of the office door announced new customers. Two good old boys stepped inside- their young, muscular bodies tight beneath their faded jeans and J.C. Penny polos.
Josie licked her lips, smiled a toothy grin, and greeted them with a believably cheerful "Howdy!"
"What can I do fer y'all today?" she asked.
"Reservation for Montgomery", the short one said, staring at her atrocious garb.
Josie ran a glossy Pucker Pink nail down the ledger and verified their room.
"Two nights. Double beds. That will be $122. Cash or credit?"
Soon vehicles began pulling in and registering at the Two Rivers Motel. Josie was so busy that she didn't have time to brew another pot of coffee for the customers. Luckily it was a warm day and the patrons were toting coolers or taking advantage of the new soda machine that Stan had leased from his friend Roger Marriott. And Josie made a mental note to tell Stan what an excellent idea that had been.
By one o'clock, her rooms were completely filled and paid in advance. And most of her customers were already headed for the Nugget Casino down by the river.
Josie returned to her desk, flipped off her heels, unbuckled her bra, and collapsed on the pink daybed. There she fell asleep, dreaming of alpacas in leopard jumpsuits -eating stacks and stacks of Patty's pancakes.
****
Well, that's a far as I got! Feel free to leave an honest comment or criticism!
To be continued????
But I always have fun finding one that I started and put away somewhere.
And since I can't think of a blog topic today, I'm going to bore you with the beginning of a short story that I found stashed away in a mini-notebook. I stuffed it into a box of bills. Maybe it should have stayed there.
What do you think? Should I try to finish it?
*****
Josie applied the Pucker Pink nail polish with extra care that morning and added an extra boost to her red teased hair. And the "piece de resistance"- her leopard jumpsuit.
It wasn't every day that her quaint little motel would have no vacancy. All the folks coming into town for the unveiling of the new casino had her booked solid for the next three months.
Perhaps all her hard work had finally paid off. At least the few extra dollars had earned her the sexy black stilettos and the expensive "balconette" bra that she kept pushing up and adjusting.
Besides that, she looked marvelous. Although she still retained a bulge of stubborn love handles, her body had slimmed down nicely due to cases of Slim Fast and some little yellow pill a patron had recommended.
Josie felt sleek and beautiful. And she knew her customers would appreciate her fine sense of style. Was it such a bad thing that she flashed a little extra cleavage at the menfolk?
Of course, she wouldn't ever let it go further than a friendly tease- after all, she was a married woman. She and Stan had been married for thirty two years. And they had taken turns running the Two Rivers Motel for nearly as long. She worked day shift. Stan worked nights. They rarely saw one another except to arrange schedules and to balance the books. They had not shared a bed in over twenty years. Even at Christmas and New Years, the motel had to be open and running. They couldn't afford to close down for any type of holiday or refuse their best customers.
The motel was Josie's life. And one she knew she could never escape from.
However, now that the little town of Rebel was beginning to boom, Josie was excited about the prospects. She imagined new flowers in the window boxes, flat screen TV's in every room, and the stained shag carpeting replaced with a nice neutral Berber.
That morning, Josie stirred a bit of vodka into her coffee and took a long swallow. The sun was just coming up and she had awhile before last nights guests began to rouse and leave for breakfast.
The Fish House Cafe' was just a block away and known for their cheap, but appetizing breakfast buffet. Josie loved their evening salad bar and usually had Stan deliver her takeout before they changed shifts. And their All-You-Can-Eat weekend seafood specials were absolutely delicious!
Even though Patty Tyler's place was a bit run down, Josie knew that the casino would change all that. The vinyl chairs with their duct tape patches and the ceiling tiles with water spots would soon be a thing of the past. And once all the new business came pouring in, Josie hoped Patty would replace the plastic flowers with more sophisticated centerpieces.
Patty and Josie were completely opposite, but still good friends. Patty stopped by the motel a few days a week to share a drink- almost always some fruity, alcoholic mixture, complete with umbrellas and miniature swords for their cherries.
Josie always did everything with flourish.
Patty was not quite as flamboyant, shying away from any sort of animal print, tall heels, boob-age or flirtation. She had sensible style- preferring jeans, tee shirts and tennis shoes while working- as well as when entertaining friends. Comfort was a priority- besides, her customers came in the Fish House Cafe' for good food- and nothing else. So far she had managed to make a profit and secretly hoped that her clientele would prefer home cooked meals over the ones being served at the casino.
Patty had never been married. In fact, her short hair and somewhat masculine manner always had customers questioning her choice of lifestyle. But those suspicions could never be further from the truth. She had just never found that special man. And at age forty, she had just about given up.
"Someday he'll walk right in that front door," she had told Josie. "He'll order a full stack of pancakes, black coffee, and leave a five dollar tip. Then he will come back and court me every day for six months. We'll get hitched at the Raccoon Creek Chapel, raise alpacas, and sell the cafe."
They both laughed.
But Patty had left Josie thinking about her own marriage. How weak and pitiful and unfulfilled it was! She wished to Heaven that life could be as simple as Patty hoped.
She began to cry into her vodka-spiked coffee, as blobs of dime store mascara painted black lines down her face. How could she be so happy and so sad at the same time?
A red diesel truck disturbed Josie's pity party and she quickly readjusted her makeup, her jumpsuit and her smile- just as the jingle of the office door announced new customers. Two good old boys stepped inside- their young, muscular bodies tight beneath their faded jeans and J.C. Penny polos.
Josie licked her lips, smiled a toothy grin, and greeted them with a believably cheerful "Howdy!"
"What can I do fer y'all today?" she asked.
"Reservation for Montgomery", the short one said, staring at her atrocious garb.
Josie ran a glossy Pucker Pink nail down the ledger and verified their room.
"Two nights. Double beds. That will be $122. Cash or credit?"
Soon vehicles began pulling in and registering at the Two Rivers Motel. Josie was so busy that she didn't have time to brew another pot of coffee for the customers. Luckily it was a warm day and the patrons were toting coolers or taking advantage of the new soda machine that Stan had leased from his friend Roger Marriott. And Josie made a mental note to tell Stan what an excellent idea that had been.
By one o'clock, her rooms were completely filled and paid in advance. And most of her customers were already headed for the Nugget Casino down by the river.
Josie returned to her desk, flipped off her heels, unbuckled her bra, and collapsed on the pink daybed. There she fell asleep, dreaming of alpacas in leopard jumpsuits -eating stacks and stacks of Patty's pancakes.
****
Well, that's a far as I got! Feel free to leave an honest comment or criticism!
To be continued????
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